Simon added: “Now each weekend is like a mini-final. When we say ‘money cant buy’ it’s got to be exactly that. When the team showed me what they’d got for prizes I almost didn’t believe them. They’re bloody brilliant.”

BBC1’s Strictly Come Dancing now attracts more than ten million live viewers a night compared to The X Factor’s five million.

Asked if he is desperate to emulate Strictly’s success, Simon said: “It’s the same as when you’re running a record label. You’re having a good run then out of nowhere another artist on another label starts selling gazillions.

“All you can think is ‘Right, how do I get my artist to do that too?’

X Factor judges step out for the live shows without Simon Cowell after he fell down the stairs injuring himself

“Do I always want to be more successful? One million percent.

“The truth is, and I hate to use words like ‘catch-up’ etc, but about eight million watch our show every week, and maybe even as many as ten million in the end.

“I haven’t watched Strictly in four years. I probably should. But I’m like that with the record label too.

“Sometimes you see a big album drop but you think, ‘Shall I listen to it — maybe not it’s just going to make me feel sick!’”